Do Not Worry.......is JEsus serious?

[GordW]

The suggested Lectionary Gospel Reading for this year comes from Matthew 6. In these verses Jesus tells his friends not to worry about getting basic needs met because God will provide.

Seriously? WHo can do that?

As I said in my early thoughts for this week, I am a worrier. I can always find something to worry about. I can always envision the worst possible result from a situation. Telling a worrier not to worry does not often help much -- it is like telling my daughter to calm down when she is in full meltdown mode (not that I don't still say that to her even though I know it is not helpful).

Living in these days of pandemic worry and anxiety seem to be steadily increasing in the world as a whole.

What makes you worry? Where does worry or anxiety get in the way of you living your life? What might help you not to worry?

 

[Luce NDs]

Serious fluid goes down as limbic in the spine ... no bones about it ...

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

In the bible, Jesus refers the “ not to worry” with the examples from nature- the birds and the flowers, that do not worry about their life. I take that as a hint of an antidote to worrying: get yourself into nature, into a space larger than yourself to change perspective. Meanwhile, research has found out that one can do “ forrest therapy” .

 

[Mendalla]

Not sure that's what Jesus had in mind, though. I think he was thinking more of how they get or gather what they need and don't fret about when or how they will do so. They don't plan days ahead and then worry about what could happen in the days between planning and execution, but rather set out to find what they need in the moment, in that moment. It is really a variation on "God will provide" I think. Yes, there are some who do seem to prepare for the future (squirrels gathering nuts), but are they planning and worrying, or just doing what works and has worked for generations so that it is engrained in their nature.

 

[Luce NDs]

Jesus as the light is all about us and all over ... get out there and absorb something ... so as to cause sentience ... it may be a metaphor or something similar!

There are many hard and dark cases ... real nuts!


And they have no idea what I speaking of ...

 

[BetteTheRed]

To me, most people do some awful combination of worrying (about the future, about how one's desires and plans might play out) and rumination (about the past, what we've done, what we can't undo). Worrying makes one anxious, rumination tends us to depression.

I'd love to be a lily of the field.

 

[Luce NDs]

To me, most people do some awful combination of worrying (about the future, about how one's desires and plans might play out) and rumination (about the past, what we've done, what we can't undo). Worrying makes one anxious, rumination tends us to depression.

I'd love to be a lily of the field.

Now how to dress that up so as to be acceptable to powers of polity and how they'd like to direct it ... this is an addiction to the most powerful emotions that depose intelligence ...

And that' sow that goes down ... all sown up! Blossoming has its ups and downs too thus I remain where i was ... in general chaos ... it extends ... whither tho' ghost ... and the wisp condenses ...

 

[revjohn]

I wonder if our problem is not simply the language (some translations counsel not to be anxious which differs from not worrying) but the degree.

We don't really have words that define little from large worries or less to more anxiety, we rely on qualifiers.

What if the message is not exactly no worry at all so much as it is don't allow worry to hinder you. Absolutely no worry doesn't appear to be good stewardship. Properly managing resources would take into account that those same resources have limits. Yes, the servant given five talents multiplies them. He could have just as easily lost them. That would have made for an interesting parable.

I am not a worrier. I accept that there are things out of my control and variables that I do not always have influence over.

This past weekend was the wedding of my daughter Hannah to Steven. We hosted the reception. Which could have been a bit trickier. 60 guests indoors with Covid-19 health measures in place. Our house isn't really that large. The weather for Saturday was not favourable until the Friday evening update. As it turns out we couldn't have had a nicer day and here in NL that is saying something. Kimberly worried about it. I didn't. The weather is impervious to our worry.

I prepare a shopping list for the week. Once I have purchased what we will need I trust it to be more or less available. Depending on the week some things might need to be replenished earlier. If Robert bakes a pound cake I will need eggs right away. The last day of my prepared list, while I am preparing the next one is likely a little lean about the pantry. Still, with adequate planning beforehand we aren't going hungry. And when Robert asks me at 5:30am about what we are having for breakfast (he works nights in the bakery now) I tell him I just woke up and won't be thinking about dinner till I have at least had breakfast.

And I have to say the quality of our worry as we approach the end of the week is less about will there be enough to eat and more will I have a choice of the things I like to eat.

I don't worry about Dr appointments or the like either before they happen. If they tell me something concerning I might worry afterwards.

I don't borrow worry from tomorrow and I will only worry today if circumstances dictate that doing so is a wise use of my time and energy.

 

[Luce NDs]

Anis is a representation about how worries and cares go on to concern larger and larger spreads as it goes on ... but it is an ancient word ... archetypical as normally dug up out of darker regions of the subconscious as a rare few understand ... counter intuitive or alter ego? Ego being a revelation for some that are particularly oblivious to*it ... thus towed about as athe ND! Consider the implications as innate ... that small inner circle as a pearl ... just spot? Some say a centre of gravitas ... like a catch 22 situation 4 bare 'n? Rye catch ... so mother nature remains sacred, hidden and undercover ... the dirt on recreation?

 

[Mendalla]

I accept that there are things out of my control and variables that I do not always have influence over.

This is really one of the key Stoic teachings. Worrying about things that you can't do anything about is just needless stress. If you plan for the things you can deal with and recognize which things are beyond your control so not worth worrying about, that goes a long way towards reducing worry/anxiety.

 

[Luce NDs]

Trying to work a way around things already past is particularly difficult to deal with temporal friends! That's gone by ... yet still dramatically disturbing an Eros I've bunch if i had taken a bite out of your world ...

These things may go on in the deep hole called mined by those excavating it ... psychic disclosure?

 

[KayTheCurler]

I know someone who worries. When one of her adult kids is on a trip she paces around the house until they arrive safely. To me that seems like a waste of a day! The fretting and fussing won't have any effect of the safety of the journey.

I see some sense in being prepared for harder times - why panic to rush to the store to buy toilet paper instead of keeping some in the house all the time?

 

[Luce NDs]

To wipe all thots out is the purpose of that medium ... paper ... put it down and thus all is forgotten!

Imagine what can be buried and sacred in that myth!

Meanwhile in NB a CBC report states that Premier Higgs is attempting to be non-partisan ... if one checks out the author's profile his past history is as ridiculous as FB commentary ...

To all! Write something ridiculous ... for the truth just doesn't pass scrum ... but if you follow the scraps you may discover the life line that will jerk you out of a stupor ...

Did you know that in German some words have no plural form ... creating an autonomous singularity ... abstract that! It has been done to support folks that believe they stand alone ... and then the follow thro' ... fallacy?

Sensible? Tis unlikely ... very improbable ... and thus we fret ... ANIS? Ani 's going to be another quantum Deis ... get a grip!

 

[BetteTheRed]

I see some sense in being prepared for harder times - why panic to rush to the store to buy toilet paper instead of keeping some in the house all the time?

Yes, in our bible study yesterday morning, we acknowledged a distinct difference between "preparing" (which includes entertaining some possible challenges to the plan) and "worrying"

 

[Mendalla]

Yes, in our bible study yesterday morning, we acknowledged a distinct difference between "preparing" (which includes entertaining some possible challenges to the plan) and "worrying"

Thing is, if you are prepared, then you should not need to be worried. Planning and preparing is all about being ready so you don't have to worry.

 

[Waterfall]

What makes you worry? Where does worry or anxiety get in the way of you living your life? What might help you not to worry?

In my life there often seems to be a past, present or a future to some things that may cause me to worry. I can do nothing about the past, nor can I guarantee the future....I can only live in the present, so to me the Serenity Prayer wraps it up and provides a sort of realistic grounding...
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference."

 

[Luce NDs]

In my life there often seems to be a past, present or a future to some things that may cause me to worry. I can do nothing about the past, nor can I guarantee the future....I can only live in the present, so to me the Serenity Prayer wraps it up and provides a sort of realistic grounding...
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference."

Tis like Dicken's 3 spirits ... a mass denied .... because of disbelief in essence!

 

[Northwind]

I had a great uncle who said not to waste time worrying. If you can do something about it go do it. If you can't do anything go do something else. I finally learned how to do that.

Working in addictions exposed me to the 12 step programs. I learned to do one day at a time through that.

When I was diagnosed in February 2019 I made a decision to use my creativity for something other than making myself crazy. Of course I made that decision after a bout of crazy. That decision has been good and I do fairly well for the most part. I've really learned to take it a day at a time. Or one minute at a time.

I try to take things as they come. I'll deal with whatever gets thrown at me when it comes.

 

[unsafe]

Do Not Worry -----

This is a very tall order to command for most people today ----this world gives many people cause to worry -----Understanding the Spiritual side of where worry comes from is very important in my view ----

We are called to Agape God with all our heart --soul and mind ------Love drives out all roots of fear ----Worry comes from negative meditation and the root behind negative meditation is being fearful of a thing or situation or the future -----

So worry comes from the Spirit of Fear -----and Fear does not come from God ------it comes from Satan ---Worry is not God's will for us --Peace in our body --mind and Spirit is God's will for us -----that is why Jesus says do not worry -----

If we believe God gave us life --then we should believe He will sustain us with what we need ---and He does Promise that very thing in scripture ------So believing by and through Faith is the first thing we need to take hold of ----but then Trust has to take root which gives us the confidence that God will provide our needs as He says He will ----

This is no easy task Folks ----believing and trusting in what you see is one thing ----but Believing and Trusting in what you cannot see is another -----that is why the right Faith needs to be rooted and grounded in us which helps us to give root to Trust in what God Promises to do for His Children will happen -----You won't worry cause you just believe and trust that God will look after your needs -----

He gave life to the birds and He sustains their needs ------just like he does for all the plants and animals and creepy crawlers etc of the earth -----


English - Latin Dictionary:

worry​

concern; fear; misfortune, distress; source of concern

I say ----Satan likes to keep People's minds occupied with worry so we stay focused on our worldly issues and that way we stayed unfocused on Godly issues ------

Worrying divides the mind ---pulling thoughts in different directions -----it ensnares us and keeps our mind in bondage -----Worry in our minds and body causes stress and stress causes sickness and disease

The Mary and Martha scripture is a good examples of one in worry of earthly cares ------while the other focused on the one who can look after her cares-----

So the Scripture talks on the subject and gives you the way not to worry -----

 

[BetteTheRed]

The Mary and Martha scripture is a good examples of one in worry of earthly cares

That's a wyrd example to pick. I get the individual contrast, but just the very fact that we're talking about two women leads me to wonder who is going to get everyone dinner when we all stop worrying about it. In my experience of life, generally, if a woman doesn't plan for, shop for, and execute dinners on a regular basis, no-one gets fed. Or if they do, it's a gay couple, or there's been some very deliberate adopting of roles in a relationship.